Top 10 Jewish Wedding Traditions

Yes, the Ketubah is another contract, but unlike the Tina'im, this document represents the husband's vows to his wife. It provides a written promise from the groom (that's legally binding in some countries) to take care of his wife's emotional and physical needs, including providing clothing, food and other basic necessities. And these are not just empty words. To make sure the husband is living up to his promise, the wife must be allowed access to the document for the duration of the marriage. In fact, the Ketubah is so important that the marriage ceremony cannot take place until it's signed. It's often a work of art, ornately detailed with calligraphy and hand-painted images [sources: Shulman, Jewish Wedding Network]